Case Study Advanced Modeling Improves Lithium Brine Resource Estimates
Expertise in lithium extraction technologies enabled the customer to refine their lithium resource estimates.
Lithium brine resource modeling
Explore, develop, and optimize production of lithium-rich brine resources
Overview
Efficiently explore and evaluate the potential of lithium-rich brine resources
Based on currently producing resources and newly announced projects, it is estimated that global lithium production will be nearly 4.0 metric megatons of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) by 2040, leaving a supply and demand gap of about 1.46 metric megatons LCE. Therefore, to meet the growing supply and demand gap for lithium, there is a need to both identify and develop new reserves and increase production from existing sources.
3D basin models that incorporate all kinds of data—geophysical, geological, lithology, porosity, temperature, geochemistry—help us build more holistic views of resource potential. From delineating the edges of the reservoir to determining its capacity to mapping lithium concentration variances and areas with higher permeability, understanding these characteristics will provide an understanding of the economic potential of a lithium brine resource.
Dynamic modeling of the reservoir can help with field development planning by simulating brine flows through the reservoir, injection effects, and more. The combination of static and dynamic modeling helps optimize production of the resource and ensure its long-term sustainability.
3D basin models incorporate extensive data to explore, develop, and optimize lithium production from brine resources.
Applications
- Augment your in-house expertise with subsurface modeling expertise
- Build static and dynamic resource models with software that is fit-for-purpose for lithium resource workflows
- Understand the economics of your asset
- Mitigate exploration risks through 3D modeling
- Optimize capex investments with improved field development planning
- Develop your resource for long-term sustainability
Benefits
Maximize lithium resource potential
Whether you need to characterize your reservoir and perform static and dynamic modeling to determine an asset’s economic potential, or you need to design and optimize field development planning—including concept selection to optimize lithium production—SLB provides the technologies, services, and expertise to support your project.
Features
By your side every step of the project
Through a combination of subsurface expertise and our sustainable lithium production project engineering, implementation, and operational experience, we combine deep technical and scientific knowledge with the experience and learnings from commercial-scale technology integration and deployment.
We deliver insights and better-informed actions from every perspective. From evaluating the individual lithium-brine resource to extraction and reinjection, our static and dynamic models help customers gain the knowledge to confidently develop the best technological and economic solution.